Anyone used Whatswhat.ie?

ed6hellsfresh

Saw a pitch from these guys - http://www.whatswhat.ie/ - at the Business Owners Network (excellent btw) a few weeks back and was just wondering if anyone has had much success from using/listing on the site.

Seems kind of like an old school concept I would have thought? But I was chatting with someone today who was singing their praises...

Anyone out there used it? impressions?

iMax

Just looked at their "Online Video" (taking the marketing world [pause & extend hands] By Storm!). Looks pretty amateurish.

What is it apart from a private golden pages ?

ed6hellsfresh

Yeh, I get the feeling they are aiming their service towards businesses that would not go online in any other way, and maybe towards those who dont have the first clue about setting up a site/blog etc - Im sure there is a market for that.

But as you say... the video is a tad cringeworthy.

00bri

I've seen the site mentioned a lot around the irish corner of the intarwebs. The site is very ugly but they do seem to have substantial content. With a web 2.0 look and feel the site could probably go much further...

Pixelcraft

I disagree, why in Ireland are people obsessed with directories? They're a hangover from the 90's internet, seriously, as a user ask yourself - Why would I use this?

blue4ever

Pix is probably corrected and we are obsessed with directories (Blue hangs head in shame reflecting on the past!!!!).

I have an issue with sites like that per say - as they deliver very little that can be found in any other directory. Where's the added value, where is the information that you Cant get elsewhere??

tricky D

Pixelcraft wrote: »

I disagree, why in Ireland are people obsessed with directories? They're a hangover from the 90's internet, seriously, as a user ask yourself - Why would I use this?

You wouldn't, neither as a user or advertiser. First stop is likely Google et al. Then maybe other long established brands e.g. Golden Pages. Anything else doesn't have the visibility or the branding value. Just about all these directories also have one giveaway weakness in that they rarely produce the hard metrics in some sort of media pack which a proper media purchaser wants: visitor stats, conversion rates and other cost per info which would allow for decent cost/benefit analysis. Testimonials and hyperbole just doesn't cut it.

Your point about the 90's is also pertinent. We dropped the Green Pages around 97/98 as we couldn't see the long term value in it, especially given the threats from established brands and big search engines. Take a look at some directories which are over 10 years old: local.ie, browseireland.com spring to mind and they have just stagnated.

Also these directories are two a penny these days and we see a new one come out every few weeks.

What these guys have done is got a bit of offline networking together which gives them a small edge. They're also around 8 years which helps another small bit. Nevertheless they're still lost in an awful lot of noise.

flash harry

yeah I really hate being negative because Im all for giving something a go but I have no reason to go to that site at all.

I think directories only work on niche sites that provide a whole lot of information on a topic e.g. if Im on researching a computer problem say, I might click the sites directory to find a pro to fix it

Neuro Energetic Kinesiology

I was listed with them but didn't find the site useful at all. Sent them a couple of emails and got no reply either... Not great service..